J. Z. Rowe

J.Z. Rowe J.Z. Rowe passed away on Wednesday, September 1st in Austin, Texas at age 88. He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Raquel Teresa Otero. He was born in Moody, Texas on July 12, 1922. He graduated Valedictorian of Moody High School in 1940. He attended the University of Texas where he studied economics. His undergraduate studies were interrupted by World War II during which he was co-pilot in a B-17 for the Army Air Corp. After being shot down over Germany, he spent the last part of the war as a prisoner of war. Following his liberation, he returned to the University of Texas to complete his degree. He studied agricultural economics at Purdue University and received his Masters of Science in 1947. Upon graduation, he joined the Agricultural Extension Service of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. While in Las Cruces, he met Raquel and they married in 1950. He later took a sabbatical from his duties with the Extension Service and returned to Purdue University to pursue his doctorate. In 1955, he received his Ph.D., then moved to Dallas, Texas to join the Federal Reserve Bank as an economist in the research department eventually rising to Director of Research. In 1969, he moved to the Houston branch of the Federal Reserve as an officer of the bank where he remained until his retirement in 1987 as Senior Vice President in Charge. For several years after retirement he followed his life-long passion for research by cataloging the genealogy of the Rowe family. A few years after the birth of his grandchildren, he moved to Austin to be closer to his family. He is survived by his son, Evan Rowe, daughter-in-law Lori Rowe, and grandchildren Rachel and Jared. Friends are cordially invited to a visitation from 3 o’clock in the afternoon until 5 o’clock in the afternoon on Sunday, the 5th of September at Cook Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N. Lamar in Austin. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Economics Department at the University of Texas at Austin, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, College of Liberal Arts, The University of Texas, 1 University Station, G-6300, Austin, Texas 78712 (http://www.utexas.edu/cola/depts/economics/giving.php) or a charity of your choice. Condolences may be sent to www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com. Arrangements under the direction of Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, Texas 78752 (512)454-5611.